Can-cover tucking and fusing machine.



W. E. TAYLOR.

CAN COVER TUCKING AND FUSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 19H.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0.. WASHINOTD D. C.

w; E. TAYLOR.

CAN COVER TUCKING AND FUSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-26, [91l- Pa tented Sept. 7, 1915.

a SHEETSSHEET 2.

IIIIIIllll lIIIIll COLUMBIA PLANODRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON. D. C

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26.

w w s m d M U, m uuw m H 4 Wm WM! M B Z G J 2 7 4 K. 7 u I E M E E E E E W. 0 mm m W 4w 4 2 i 5 w w M F 1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COWWASHIINGTON. D. C.

barren s'ra'irns earn UFFTWE.

WILLIAM E. TAYLOR, OF EASTIPORT, MAINE, ASSIG-NOR T0 AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CGBPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-COVER TUCKING AND FUSING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. TAYLOR a citizen of the United States, residing in Eastport, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Cover Tucking and Fusing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined can cover tucking and fusing machines.

The object of the invention isto provide a machine adapted to secure heads to can bodies, and relates more particularly to a mechanism for tucking the flanges of covers and bodies of filled sardine cans, and adapted to subsequently fuse a layer of solder between the flanges of the cover and body, to thereby produce a hermetically tight seam.

I have illustrated and described one form of a machine embodying my improvements comprisinga suitable framework over which are adapted to operate two endless can conveyers, one intermittently and the other continuously operated,means for transferring cans from one to the other of said conveyers,

a squeezer or tucking head to which the cans,

are fed by the intermittently operated conveyer, and where the tucking or folding of the flanges is accomplished, two sets of spaced heating and fusing means, one set of said means adapted to fuse the seams on the ends of a rectangular can and the other set being adapted to fuse the seams on the sides of the can, the continuously moving conveyer being adapted to convey the cans to each of said sets of fusing means successively, said continuously moving conveyer being provided also with means whereby each can is given a quarter turn while trav-, cling between the two sets of fuslngdevlces.

My invention furthermore consists in improvements in the parts and devices and in the combinations of parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

1n the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side'elevation of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial, longitudinal, vertical section onan enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4: and 5 are vertical, transverse sections, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the lines 4L 1 and 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. "3, 1915.

horizontal section, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a transverse section, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail, transverse section, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of fusing means.

In the drawings, 20 denotes any suitable base or framework adapted to support the various parts of the mechanism. The framework is provided with two table portions 21 and 22, over whichare adapted to move respectively endless conveyers 23 and 24-. The conveyer 23 consists of anend less chain 25 provided with a plurality of fingers 26 and passing over suitable pulleys at each end of the table portion 21, and driven as by means of a gear 27 The con veyer 23 is given an intermittent movement by mechanism hereinafter described, and is adapted to convey can bodies beneath a tucking or squeezing head 28. The tucking or squeezing head 28 is intermittently operated by mechanism hereinafter described, and is adapted to tuck or fold the flange of either the cover or the body about the flange on the other member, and may be of any well known or suitable construction, one form of which is illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 660814;, filed Nov. 17th, 1911. The can bodies, after being operated upon by the tucking or squeezing head 28, are conveyed to a transferring mechanism 29, which is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 8. The transferring mechanism 29 is adapted to feed the can bodies from the conveyer 23 to the conveyer 2 1, the latter being continuously operated. The transferring mechanism comprises a stationary member 80, on which is adapted to ride the seam of the can body at one side of the can, and a pivotally mounted finger or ledge portion 31 also adapted to engage the under side of the seam on the can body on the opposite side from that engaged by the stationary member 30.

The can bodies with the covers secured thereto are pushed by the intermittently moving conveyer 23 onto the members 30 and 31, after which the conveyer passes down beneath the table 21. A recess is provided in the table 21 below the members 30 and 31, through which the can body is adapted to be dropped into suitable pockets in the conveyer '24, and this result is accomplished by oscillating the member 31, as by means of a finger 32, having a roller38 on itslower i end'adapted to be engaged by a cam 340n each of the members of the conveyer 24. The finger 32 is normally held retracted inwardly, as by meansof a coiled spring 35sttachedthereto, and to a stationary pin 36 on the table 21." As .the pivoted'member 31 is withdrawn, it will be obvious that the can body will'be dropped through the table 21 and Wlll be engaged by the members of the conveyer 24. The conveyer 24 comprises an endless chainrcomposed of a plurality of links 37 and supportedby means of the "gear-s38 and-39. Each link of the conveyor 24 comprises a member 40 having a circular I recess therein, in which isrotatably mounted a chuck or can holder 41, each of said can holders 41 be'ing provided witha gear or pinion 42 at ,itslower end asviewed in Fig. 4. -Each of thevchucks 41 is furthermore provided withv a, recess 43, conforming in shapeand size to the can'body being operatedupon, and is furthermore preferably provided with an ejector or knock-out 44.

.Each of the chucks or can holders 41 is adapted to be given a quarter turn in one direction, andsubsequently returned to its original position, and in order to retain each of said chucks in its proper position relatively to the members 40, I provide spring pressed detents 45 adapted to engage notches 46 in the rotatable chuck 41. The can bodies,

as they are caught by the chucks 41, arefirst conveyed to a pair of parallel bars 47, said bars 47 being adapted to yieldingly engage the opposite sides of the seam of the can body, as by means of springs 47, mountedfon'bolts 49 between the bars 47 and a cross piece. 50fon the frame of the machine.

Each of the bars 47 is heated by any suitable. means, such as gas burners 51. After the can bodies have passed from under the bars 47 ,each of the chucks or can holders 41 is given a quarter turn by meansof the rack 52,"which engagesthe pinion 42, and the "they are ejected from the chucksor can holders by means of'the knock-out 44, which engages a stationary cam 54. secured to a rigid sleeve 55-which incasesthe shaft 56 for the gear 38. The-shaft 56,- as shown, is 'adjustablyQmounted in movable journal 'boxes 57, supported on brackets 58 and ad justed as by means of swiveled bolts 59.

Each of the chucks or can holders 41 is repivoted lever turned to its original position, or in other words, s given a reverse quarter turn, by

7 means of a stationary rack 60, which engages each of the gears 'Movement is given to the various parts of the machine from a power shaft 61, which is driven by a pulley (52, having a clutch face '63 thereon adapted to engage a corresponding clutch face on a gear (34 keyed to the shaft 61. The clutch faces are thrown into mesh, as by means of a shipper lever 65. The gear64 meshes with and drives a gear 66 on a transverse shaft (37. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 67 is a sprocket gear 68,, which drives a sprocket chain 69 and sprocket gear 70, keyed to the shaft 71 of the gear wheel 39, thereby giving the con veyer 24 a continuous movement. Also keyed to the shaft 67 is a gear 72 which drives a chain 73 and a gear 74 on the t ansverse shaft 75. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 75 is a cam 76, which operates a 77, connected at its upper end by means of a link 78 to the oscillating tucking or squeezing head 28. Also mounted on the shaft 75, and preferably formed integrally with the gear 74 is a cam 79, adapted to reciprocate a rod 80, pivotally connected to a plunger 81 which is adapted to lift the can bodies up into the squeezcr head 28. A transverse shaft 82, intermediate the shafts 67 and 75, is intermittently rotated by means of a Geneva gear, comprising a plate 83 on the shaft 82, and an arm 84 keyed to the shaft 7 5. Keyed to the outer end of the shaft 82 is a sprocket gear 85,

"which drives a chain 86 running over the sprocket gear 27, whereby the conveyor 23 is intermittently operated.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modification in which shielded flames S'Tare substituted for the parallel bars 47 and 53, said flames being adapted to play upon portions of the semi on opposite sides of the can bodies as the latter are conveyed beneath them.

I have shown a machine embodying one form of my improvements, but I wish it to be clearly understood that the same is merely illustrative and that various changes and modifications may be made in the different parts of the mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention, and

such changes and modifications are contempl'ated as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination: flange tucking mechanism; fusing means comprising spaced solder heatingmembers parallelly arranged in a horixontal plane and operable to fuse spaced portions of can seams; and conveying means for propelling the cans to the tucking mechanism and from the latter to the fussing means. whereby the flanges forming the can seams are first tucked and the seams subsequently fused, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination: flange tucking mechanism; an intermittently movable conveyer for conveying the cans to the tucking mechanism and allowing the same to be brought to rest While being operated upon and then for moving the can bodies away from the trick ing mechanism; fusing means comprising parallel spaced solder heating devices; a continuously movableconveyer for conveying the cans to and from the fusing means; and means for transferring the can bodies from the intermittently movable conveyer after the can flanges have been tucked to the continually movable conveyer, substantially as specified.

In a machine of the class described, in combination, a flange tucking mechanism, an endless can body conveyer adapted to convey can bodies to and from the tucking mechanism, a second can body conveyer, and combined fusing and pressing bars beneath which the second-named conveyer is adapted to move the can bodies.

I. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a flange tucking mechanism, an intermittently operating can body conveyer adapted to convey can bodies to and from the tucking mechanism, a second can body conveyer, means for transferring can bodies from the first to the second named conveyer, andcombined fusing and pressing bars beneath which the second named conveyer is adapted to pass the can bodies.

In machine of the class described, in combination, flange tucking mechanism, fusing devices and means for conveying can bodies from the tucking mechanism to the fusing devices, said fusing devices comprising a plurality of sets of solder heating means. i

3. In a machine of the class described, in combination, flange tucking mechanism, fusing devices and means for conveying can bodies from the tucking mechanism to the fusing devices, said fusing devices comprising a plurality of sets of parallel heated bars.

7. In a machine adapted to fuse seams on rectangular cans, in combination, means adapted to fuse the seams on two opposite edges of the rectangular can, means adapted to fuse the seams on the remaining two opposite edges of the rectangular can, and a conveyer for moving the cans from the first to the second named fusing means and provided with a plurality of pockets in which the cans are adapted to fit and be seated.

8. In a machine adapted to fuse seams on rectangular cans, in combination, means adapted to fuse the seams on two opposite top edges of the rectangular can, means adapted to fuse the seams on the remaining two opposite top edges of therectangular can, and devices for conveying the cans from the first to the second named fusing means,

'said first and second named fusing means being parallelly arranged above said devices and spaced from each other.

9. In a machine adapted to fuse the seams on rectangular cans, in combination, means adapted to press and fuse the seams on two opposite edges of the rectangular can, means adapted to press and fuse the seams on the remaining two opposite edges of the rectangular can, and devices for conveying the cans from the first to the second named first and second named fusing means comprising ,yieldingly mounted spaced parallelly arranged bars.

11. In a machine of the class described, in combination: flange bending mechanism having means for tucking the flange-of one can member about the flange of the other can member; flange pressing and solder fusing devices having means for vertically pressing together the flanges of the two can members after they have been interlocked by the tucking means; means, having a path of travel in a horizontal plane, for conveying cans from the flange bending mechanism to the fusing devices, said means including an endless belt provided with a plurality of can body hold means for rotating said holders while the conveyer is moving, substantially as specifled.

12. In a machine of the class described, in combination: flange bending mechanism; fusing means; and means for conveying cans from the flange bending mechanism to the fusing means, including a continuously moving 'conveyer composed of a plurality of links, each link having a rotatable can body holder mounted thereon, substantially as specified.

13. In amachine of the class described, in combination: flange bending mechanism; fusing devices including a plurality of spaced members, each adapted to heat spaced portions of the same can body seam; and means for conveying can bodies from the bending mechanism to the fusing devices, substantially as specified.

14. In a machine of theclass described, in combination, flange tucking mechanism, fusers rotatable in a horizontal-plane; and

bodies from the tucking; mechanism to the fusing means, said fusing means comprising a pluralityof spaced parallel heated'bars "each adapted to'heat a portion of thej'seam ofa can body.

' 15. a machine of the class described, in combination; fusing means; "a can body conveyer adaptedtoxconvey can bodies to and 10 from said means, saidconveyer comprising a plurality of links pivot-ally. connected, each hnlrhavmg mountedthercon a rotatable can holder; and -means for rotating said can 'conveyer having a path of movement in a straight line and adapted to convey can bodies to and from said means, said conveyer comprising a plurality of members, each "member having mounted thereon a rotatable Y can holder, andsaid fusing means comprismg spaced elements arranged parallel to the line of movement of the conveyer, each adapted toheat a portion of the same canv body seam.

table can holder, said fusing means 1T. Ina machine of the class described, in

' combination fusing means and a can body conveyor adapted to convey can bodies to [and from said means, said conveyer comprising a plurality of members, each mem ber having mounted thereon a single rotacomprising sets of spaced parallel heat r b 18. In atmachine of the class dew combination, fusing meanstnd acan body conveyer adapted to convey can bodies to and from said means, said conveyer comprising a plurality of members, each member having mountedthereon a rotatable can holder, said fusing means including two sets of spacedparallel'heater bars, and means for giving-each of said can holders a partial mg means and mechanism for conveying can i rotation While traveling intermediate the sets of spaced bars.

conveyor adapted to convey can bodies to and from said means, said conveyor comprising a plurality of members, each member having mounted thereon a single rotatable can holder, said fusing means comprising two sets of spaced yieldingly mounted, parallelly arranged heated bars.

20. In a machine of the class described, in combination, fusing means, a can body conveyer adapted to convey in bodies to and from said fusing means, said conveyor comprising a pluraiity of links, each link having mounted therein a rotatable can holder, and means for rotating'the holders first in one direction and then in an opposite direction.

21. In a machine of the class described, in combination, fusing means, said fusing means comprising two spaced sets of parallel heated bars and a can body conveyor adapted to convey can bodies to and from and between said sets of bars, said conveyor comprising plurality of members, each member'having mounted therein a rotatable can holder, each of said can holders being provided with a'pinion, and means adapted to engage said pinion and rotate the same.

'22. In a'machine of the class described, in combination, fusing means, a can body conreyer adapted to convey can bodies to and from said fusing means, said conveyor comprising a plurality of members, each memberluwing mounted therein a rotatable can lmldcr, means for rotating each of said can holdersa quarter turn, and means for looking each of said can holders in position in each member.

lVILLIAM TAYLOR.

Witnesses W. D. Fosrnn, C. N. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained' for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, D. G. 

